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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26443471">new year's from a distance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/burstaffinity/pseuds/burstaffinity'>burstaffinity</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>because i love jolly ranchers [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, background morag/brighid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:28:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,677</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26443471</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/burstaffinity/pseuds/burstaffinity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>blades can pick up bad habits from their driver</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lora &amp; Metsu | Malos</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>because i love jolly ranchers [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2193516</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>new year's from a distance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was better for the world and his mental health that Malos had picked up some of Lora’s behaviors, but she did not enjoy his mimicry of some of her less savory qualities: namely, avoiding situations she did not like at all costs. No, it wasn’t good that she tried so hard to duck out of formal meetings, especially now that the eyes of the world were on her. But there was only so far her tiny legs could take her. The giant, Malos, on the other hand, not only had long legs, but the ability to teleport, and perhaps more artifices than he really needed.</p><p>(...not that he had used any of his artifices to flee into solitude, but she wouldn’t put it past him. Mythra certainly liked using her artifice for frivolous reasons, and she and Malos were just two sides of the same coin. Siblings indeed.)</p><p>He would have had to have used his teleportation powers to make it to this tower from the palace so fast. He also would have had to have used those powers because they were his preferred method of avoiding people--particularly at night, where it was easier to pass through the shadows. Lora knew that he would have flown himself far, far away if doing so didn’t attract attention. Alba Cavanich wasn’t his favorite place to visit, even if that was where they were holding Jin. Malos wasn’t exactly high on Alba Cavanich’s list of favorite people, either. And so, whenever they visited, he’d always stay by her side at day, and vanish at night. She was used to it, even if she knew his nighttime disappearances lead him to some ridiculous obscure edge of the resting titan.</p><p>Perhaps tonight he still wanted to see the fireworks--or be close enough for her to find him. He would do that depending on how bad his mood was. He knew she would worry if she sensed his mood was foul but his presence too far away. Sitting atop a tower didn’t fill her with confidence, but at least she knew he wasn’t doing anything other than resting.</p><p>She hoisted herself over the last step of the ladder and hobbled onto the roof of the tower, hunching over her knees.</p><p>“Lady Morag sounded the alarm?” He looked at her with wariness.</p><p>“She noticed you were missing--it’s hard not to,” she said, making her way to his side. “No alarms. More like an FYI.”</p><p>“Go get your blade before we do.”</p><p>“Malos, you know she has no intention of taking you in. She went over that some time ago.”</p><p>“Yeah but--”</p><p>“Yeah but what? You think she doesn’t like you? After she invited you to be her companion at that fair?”</p><p>Malos let out an embarrassed laugh. “Can’t forget all the fun I had being absolutely scared shitless of her.”</p><p>Lora put her hands on her hips. “So why are you out here? Besides the obvious?”</p><p>“Just the obvious.”</p><p>Lora lowered her arms, and took a seat next to him. “I know it can’t be helped, but… not everyone there is wary of you. Lady Morag--”</p><p>“You really think she likes me?”</p><p>“She’s hard to read. But I think she’s curious about you, at least.”</p><p>“Listening in to my mushy conversations with Jin must’ve stripped me of my terrifying aura.”</p><p>Lora laughed. “It’s true. You two do get terribly mushy. Honestly, I once thought Jin would be smooth in those situations. Perhaps it’s just you who makes him that way.”</p><p>“Nah Jin’s just lowkey awkward. Always has been, at least as long as I’ve known him. He only gets charismatic when he’s making some kind of statement about the...the state of humanity or some shit, you know? Like when he gets real deep, but casually? It just rolls off his tongue.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t put it so vulgarly, but yes. You’re right.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t put it so vulgarly,” he repeated in a mocking voice.</p><p>She swatted at his shoulder. “Yes! Honestly, Malos, sometimes I think I ought to feed you soap.”</p><p>“Just soap?” he responded with a hearty laugh.</p><p>“Yes. Just your basic, everyday bar of soap. You’ll have to wait until Jin gets out if you want that fancy stuff.”</p><p>“If he gets out.”</p><p>She rubbed his shoulder assuringly, noticing his smile was starting to fade. “Lady Morag says he’s been very well behaved.”</p><p>“Good behavior doesn’t make up for all the shit we did.”</p><p>His mood was starting to tank, too. She could feel it. She let out a sigh, leaning against him. “I know, but… maybe it’s hard for you to believe, but people are starting to look up to you both, you know. You’re starting to give the people hope.”</p><p>“Yeah, how many? One, two? The kid and maybe Lady Morag?”</p><p>“It’s more than that.”</p><p>“How many?”</p><p>“I don’t know, Malos. I just...feel it. Remember what I told you when I agreed to become your driver? Redemption wouldn’t be easy. But it is possible, with work. Changing the perception people had of you is hard work, and there are some you will never change their minds. But as long as you keep fighting by my side--”</p><p>She didn’t intend on continuing that, so the interruption of two new guests appearing on the tower was timely. But still very unexpected. She felt Malos freeze beside her. She chanced a look at his face and--well, she felt positively awful for it, but she still laughed. The look of utter terror on his face--the mighty Aegis’s face! The Special Inquisitor of the Ardanian Empire was formidable, indeed!</p><p>Lady Morag seemed to be enjoying his terror as well, albeit more subtly; but Lora could still see an edge of her mouth curled up in a slight smirk. Brighid walked behind her with a pleasant expression.</p><p>Lora calmed herself down enough to ask, “What brings you two here?” Malos, if he wasn’t frozen in terror, would surely have asked if they were keeping tabs.</p><p>“We thought we might join our esteemed guest and the Aegis in watching the fireworks tonight. I presume that is why you are here, is it not, Malos?”</p><p>“Uh.”</p><p>“That’s exactly why he’s here,” Lora said, knowing Morag would see through her lie. “He isn’t much for crowds.”</p><p>“I understand,” Lady Morag said, stopping in front of them. “Being who he is, he’s bound to attract much attention.”</p><p>“Uh--”</p><p>Lora glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, then looked at him fully. He was rising to his feet.</p><p>“Oh?” asked Brighid.</p><p>“And where would you be going, Malos?” Morag inquired. “We came here to see you--both of you.”</p><p>“I was, um--” He brushed the back of his head.</p><p>Lora tugged at his arm. “Sit back down. They aren’t going to hurt us.”</p><p>She knew he was nervous. The hilarity of his fear of Morag aside, he did have cause to be wary of her--her and everyone else who lived on this titan, who had ample cause to be wary of him. That’s why he didn’t much enjoy visiting, well. Any place there were people. Any place that had people had several people who remembered what he did. He didn’t begrudge them for that. Quite the opposite; he wanted to hide so they wouldn’t be burdened with him. Knowing he was back on Alrest was bad enough; seeing him was another thing entirely.</p><p>Still. She wanted him to stay. She wanted him to keep moving forward, keep changing, keep improving. He wouldn’t do that if he kept running away, hiding.</p><p>She tugged at his arm again. “Please?”</p><p>With a barely perceptible grunt, Malos sat back down beside Lora. Morag and Brighid took a seat a short distance away from Lora’s other side.</p><p>“The fireworks should be starting soon,” Brighid noted. “Do you two have any plans for the New Year’s?”</p><p>“I hadn’t thought about it,” Lora replied. “How about you, Malos?”</p><p>Malos simply grunted, again.</p><p>“I don’t think he’s thought about it, either,” Lora said.</p><p>“It’s quite alright,” Morag replied. “Sometimes the journey is the plan. In any case, I do hope the two of you have a splendid new year.”</p><p>“Speaking of which--Lady Morag,” said Brighid.</p><p>She hardly needed to speak. The sight and the sound of the fireworks were enough: the new year had begun. Lora looked over to Morag and Brighid in time to see the two of them kiss--a New Year’s tradition among couples that hadn’t changed in over 500 years. Lora smiled warmly as she looked back at the fireworks, then turned to Malos, giving him a quick, friendly peck on the cheek. A small gesture of affection, one that made him grin sheepishly. “Happy New Year, Kibou!” she said with a broad smile, and watched as his grin grew even broader. It had been a while since she had called him by the name she had given him, at least when she wasn’t trying to rouse him from a bad nightmare.</p><p>They both fell silent, watching the fireworks rise above the palace. After a moment, Malos asked, “Do you think Jin’s watching the fireworks?”</p><p>“I hope so,” said Lora. She looked over to the sword Malos held by his side and said, “Happy New Year, Jin!”</p><p>“Huh?” It took a moment for Malos to realize she was talking to the sword. Jin’s sword, that he gave to Malos before Mor Ardain had taken him in.</p><p>“So I’ll always be close by--to both of you,” he had said. They couldn’t communicate to him through the sword. That had been thoroughly tested by Mor Ardain. Still, it was his sword, and Malos carried with him everywhere as a memento. He was most certainly thinking that wishing Jin a happy new year via the sword was ridiculous--he wasn’t as ill-fitting of his true name as he liked to say he was.</p><p>But, with a bit of a huff, and a hint of a smile, he said to the sword, “Happy New Year, Jin.”</p>
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